August 1, 2026

If you are planning a career in the Merchant Navy, or currently guiding someone who is, there is an important regulatory update you need to know about. On 23 May 2026, the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS), Mumbai issued DGS Order 12 of 2026, effective 1 August 2026, revising the eligibility criteria for issuing an Indian Continuous Discharge Certificate (CDC). This guide breaks down exactly what has changed, why, and what it means for anyone hoping to join a ship.

Why Did DG Shipping Bring This Order?

For several years, candidates could obtain an Indian CDC simply by completing the five Basic STCW safety courses — Personal Survival Techniques (PST), Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting (FPFF), Elementary First Aid (EFA), Personal Safety and Social Responsibilities (PSSR), and Security Training for Seafarers with Designated Security Duties (STSDSD).

Over time, DG Shipping observed that this route was being misused by unscrupulous recruitment agents, who lured young aspirants — often from remote and economically vulnerable regions — with false promises of guaranteed seafaring jobs. Many candidates paid large sums, completed only the five basic courses, obtained a CDC, and then found themselves without any ship placement, occasionally facing abandonment-like situations after boarding substandard vessels operating under loosely regulated open registries.

Data reviewed by DG Shipping painted a concerning picture: roughly 3,50,000 candidates obtained an Indian CDC through the standalone STCW route, and nearly 1,80,000 of them are still waiting for their first shipboard job. International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) data also showed a sharp rise in seafarer abandonment cases, with Indian nationals increasingly affected.

To address this, DG Shipping has tightened the eligibility framework for CDC issuance, with the goal of ensuring candidates enter the profession through structured, verifiable training pathways rather than a single short-duration course.

What Exactly Has Changed?

The core change: Completing the five Basic STCW courses alone is no longer sufficient to obtain an Indian CDC.

Going forward, a candidate must complete the five Basic STCW courses and also belong to one of the following approved categories:

1. Pre-Sea Training Certificate Holders — Candidates who have completed a DG Shipping-approved pre-sea training course, in addition to the five basic STCW courses.
2. Agniveer Candidates — Holders of an Agniveer discharge certificate who have also completed the five basic STCW courses.
3. Hospitality Sector Candidates — Candidates with a degree, diploma, or certificate in hotel management (or an equivalent hospitality qualification) who have completed the DG Shipping-approved Orientation Course for Catering Personnel (OCCP), along with the five basic STCW courses. In certain exceptional cases, hospitality professionals engaged through DG Shipping-approved cruise line recruitment companies may also qualify, though their CDC will be restricted to service on cruise and passenger vessels only.
4. Ex-Indian Navy Personnel — Retired Navy officers or sailors with a valid discharge certificate, who have also completed the five basic STCW courses.
5. Certified Cooks — Candidates holding a Cook Certificate of Competency (CoC) recognized by the Government of India, along with the five basic STCW courses.
6. Certificate of Competency (CoC) Holders — Candidates already holding a CoC recognized by the Government of India, along with the five basic STCW courses.

If a candidate does not fall into any of the categories above, completing the five Basic STCW courses will not, by itself, result in CDC issuance.

Other Key Changes Under the Order

Alongside the CDC eligibility revision, DGS Order 12 of 2026 introduces two additional measures aimed at improving quality and opportunity for rating-level seafarers:

• 25% seat reservation in GP Rating courses for candidates with additional technical qualifications, such as a welding certification from an IACS member or a diploma/certificate in fitter, mechanic, electrical, plumbing, or computer trades from a government-approved institute (ITI or equivalent), provided the technical course is at least one year in duration.
• Upper age limit for GP Rating admission increased from 25 to 28 years, while existing SC/ST age relaxations continue to apply as per Training Circular No. 04 of 2014.

What This Means If You Have Already Applied

If you submitted your CDC application to a shipping master's office before 1 August 2026 on the basis of the five basic STCW courses, don't worry — your application will still be processed under the earlier rules. Similarly, any CDC already issued under the Merchant Shipping (Continuous Discharge Certificate) Rules, 2017, remains valid and unaffected by this Order.

What This Means for Maritime Training Institutes

DG Shipping has also directed all approved maritime training institutes to stop advertising or offering the five Basic STCW courses as a standalone route to obtaining a CDC. Institutes that continue to market STCW-only packages as a direct path to a Merchant Navy job or CDC risk penal action, including suspension or withdrawal of their DG Shipping approval.

This is an important shift for prospective seafarers: if any institute or agent tells you that completing just the five-day/week-long STCW course guarantees you a CDC and a ship job, that claim is no longer accurate — and after 1 August 2026, it isn't compliant with DG Shipping's own rules either.

What Should Aspiring Seafarers Do Now?

If you are planning to join the Merchant Navy, here is a realistic, compliant path forward:

1. Identify which eligibility category fits you — pre-sea training, hospitality/OCCP, ITI/technical trade via GP Rating, ex-Navy background, or an existing CoC/Cook certificate.
2. Enroll in the right structured training pathway for that category, not just the five basic STCW courses in isolation.
3. Complete your Basic STCW courses as part of your overall training — they remain mandatory, just not sufficient on their own.
4. Verify your training institute is DG Shipping-approved and is guiding you toward a genuine CDC-eligible pathway, not a standalone STCW shortcut.
5. Confirm your medical fitness with a DG Shipping-approved doctor at the appropriate stage of your training.

Final Word

DGS Order 12 of 2026 is a significant course correction aimed at protecting seafarer aspirants from exploitation and improving the overall quality and employability of Indian seafarers. While it removes the standalone STCW-to-CDC shortcut, it opens clearer, more structured, and ultimately more reliable pathways into the profession — whether you're coming from a pre-sea training background, a hospitality qualification, an ITI trade, or ex-Defence service.

At Anvay Maritime Institute, our counsellors can help you understand exactly which pathway applies to your background and guide you through DG Shipping-approved training that is fully aligned with the revised eligibility framework — so your training actually leads somewhere.

For guidance on your specific eligibility category, call our counsellors at +91 8597979090 or visit anvaymaritime.com.